R_Dudley

Okay time to make home ice an advantage not an aberration. Also surprised how well Montreal has come out of the gate but I have seen enough hockey through the years to know a season is not a sprint but a marathon adn i have seen many hot starts fizzle by April. Lets make it start tonight with our division rival. Lets go Buffalo and battre les canadians.

I assume it also comes from his bench and interview demeanor which always is measured and in control which is not to say it is not effective. In fact if he is not the typical coach that swears like a sailor Wild card describes I would postulate a precise and measured use of an expletive approach outside your typical daily demeanor definitely gets your attention and is a take notice to the players. How he follows through with the reward or discipline when action doesn't follow reinforces the effect.

Wowie F-bombing the troops. So there's a narrative that says he's soft.. Fact or fiction ? Fact; I saw him play back in the day for Sabres and for that era and what was allowed he was marshmallow soft when it came to physical game, his game was finesse. Fact; My youngest son f-bombing at home to my dismay when rebuked told me that's so I know he's serious about the discussion...... Does that work?

Well I recorded the games and watched later so I couldn't post in the GDT but after watching those last two games are two of the best games I have seen in the last couple years. Complete games played for 3 periods as a team. Very refreshing to finally see that. Have they arrived, I am cautiously optimistic. Yesterdays game when down 2-0 didn't have me feeling the need to bale like looking away from a bad accident like last season because they looked different and were playing solid even though behind. Sometimes puck luck has you lose games you shouldn't but you can tell when guy's are still playing hard. I can live with that sans the final result. Lets hope they truly are learning to win. Still need to see how well the coaching and team handles being scouted and game planned to stop what is working for us, That's the mark of a team arriving, that and not getting the opposing back up goalies ...

I agree its a bit early and we should see how this is still working come Jan 1. I voted to try and sign him if it is working because as Taro said it would be a nice change to sign a skilled player instead of another sell off or walk away like we have all witnessed over these last 5 plus years. At some point you have to establish a core to go with the talent pipeline .

Yeah watching that there you can just the burst of speed through the middle with a perfect tape to tape pass from Pommer... Nice to see the team actually doing more tape to tape passing vs the previous keystone cops antics of in front, behind or in the skates.

Not finished reading the thread but couldn't help respond. Living in Pgh the main reason was cap related, with Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Kessel and needing to sigh Murray and still field a team some choices had to be made. Same reason they could't also keep Fluery although he is a pretty darn good goalie. Oh that and he(neal) was noted be a bit of a Richard as far as team bonding goes...

OK once again past my bed time game so another game to be recorded to watch later. Any who the Bogo Nogo mentioned last game thread, I picked over/under 2 games and my over is still in play so why can't I predict and hit the powerball or mega. So far they have been bouncing back after a loss so lets do it again Buffalo.

Where should the accountability come from and who or whom would hold the players to it ?

LOL,The Bogo Nogo over and under down to periods. I thought it was 2 games over or under.. Looks like everyone here is going with under. Me I'm going with over, 2 games that is. Loved Ullmark getting a shutout last game and finally looking like the Goalie a lot of us hoped he would be. I hope they keep him in and are playing the hot goalie but with Phil just don't know what he will do. Past my bedtime so I'm going to record the center ice game and watch tomorrow unless it turns into one of those aberration games we have seen 2 of already (e.g. Boston and Colorado). Hoping to see this team continue to grow on this trip, Let's go Buffalo

I think he has a lot of potential. We haven't had a good forward this size since Paul Gaustad. I think he is a lot faster and has more potential than that of course. When you consider Bergland is 6' 4 that is a couple forwards bigger than all our defense men except Risto. Makes me wonder what a Bergland, Tage and Remi line might look like assuming the old guy could keep up....

So yes only one game. Yes the Bruins lost bad the night before but they looked better doing it then the sabres. The Caps just got every bounce and were a step ahead of them all night but they were not as badly outplayed as the Sabres were yesterday. I would feel much better about it if they had played like we were told they were going to play by the coach. North south 4 lines as a unit. that means to me more body fore check then stick and the trying to be to fancy is replaced with solid smart play. Get the puck deep stop trying to skate through 2 to 4 defenders. Take the shots when they are their with the assumption and hopeful execution others are going to the net for rebounds. My real concern is we picked the wrong coach. Its still early in the season but that is the fear of what I am seeing and hearing when I listen to Mr. Housley

I am out back to watching Pens caps and what real hockey looks like

Lets change whose going to score the first goal into what game they will score their first goal...

Oh i get that but where was any coaching earlier than too late

Wow pulled the goalie with 4 mins nice coaching Wowie

Does it matter if its not till next game?

Yeah I really haven't seen much of anything from him to give me hope. He played soft when he was a defense men and maybe because of his his size and I am afraid that his team plays the same way.

These back passes or cross ice passes to players who are covered are not working.

So okay goal tending is better but the rest right now looks pretty much the same a cloud of dust and no finish. I also don't like that we are not playing hard on the puck, finishing checks especially on a team that played last night and got their arse handed to them.

Nice save Hutton

Yeah whats with these cross ice passes at the blueline while the B's have numbers. Rob had it right get it deep and go get it

Yipeee, My favorite time of year fall and Hockey begins. Can't wait to see what the new team looks like. Boston took a lot of penalties last night with chippy play hope the Refs keep an eye on that as I expect it will continue tonight after the a$$ whipping they took last night. Saw the projected lines and I am also in the spread the wealth camp across your top lines instead of trying one killer and several lesser. Only positive is at home he gets last line change so that will help if that's how he rolls with it... Traffics thick and driving slow, Another Hockey night in Buffalo...

Washington 4-0 over the Bruins...oops now 5-0,,, some angry B's going to be in buffalo tomorrow Rask Pulled and Halak in, bet its Halak tomorrow TO and Montreal 2-2

Thanks for that blast from the past. I moved away in 92 so most of my games attended where there. It was definitely a great place to watch hockey. As a young lad nothing beat playoff standing room only in the oranges for less than $10 bucks. Good days indeed.